Pretending
by ocfanatic2013
Summary: Prequel to What If and Get It Right. See what happened before What If began...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Prequel to _What If_ and _Get It Right_. Takes place the summer before the show (and _What If_) begins.**

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><p>Rachel Berry sighed as she sat in class on the last day of school. Normally she'd be all for staying until the last possible second, but she wanted to leave. The Cheerios had chosen to make her last day of school a terrible one and she wanted to get to her three months of peace soon. She looked around the room and saw Santana Lopez watching her. Suddenly uncomfortable, Rachel shifted in her seat and kept her eyes forward.<p>

Santana Lopez studied Rachel Berry from the other side of the room. She'd seen slushies tossed her way at least three times that day. Santana thought that three was a little too much, especially on the last day of school. She didn't understand why people picked on Rachel. She was pretty nice and actually really pretty when you got past the awful clothes she wore. Santana had had a crush on her since she was walking by the auditorium on the first day of the second semester and heard her singing some song that Santana had never heard of. She'd snuck into the back of the large hall and found herself mesmerised. Since then, the Cheerio had had a soft spot for the Jewish diva. Santana really wanted to ask the girl out, but she'd been having a continuous argument in her head with herself for about a month now.

_Come on Lopez. Ask her out._

**_What if she says no? Then you'll look like an idiot._**

_How can she say no to you? You're Santana fucking Lopez._

**_What if she's not gay?_**

_Again, you're Santana Lopez._

**_Maybe I'll just wait until school next year._**

_What if she meets someone over the summer?_

That was the deciding factor. Santana couldn't handle the thought of Rachel being with anyone else. Santana wanted her and she wanted her bad. The minute that the bell rang, Rachel was out of the room. Santana had to almost run to be able to keep up. She stopped suddenly when she saw Rachel at her locker, admiring the girl, before walking up to her "Berry?" Santana said. Rachel was cleaning out her locker.

"Come to throw one last slushie before the summer, Santana?" Rachel bitterly asked.

"No… I came to see if maybe you want to… I don't know… go out tonight… with me." Santana said. She looked down.

"Go out? Like hanging out or like a date?" Rachel asked. Santana looked up.

"You choose. I'll pick you up at 7?" she asked. Rachel nodded.

"Just let me know what you choose when I pick you up." Santana said. She smiled at Rachel as she walked away. Confused, Rachel resumed her task of cleaning out her locker. At 7, Santana was ringing the doorbell at Rachel's house. Rachel opened the door and smiled at the taller girl.

"Truth be told, I wasn't exactly expecting you to show up." Rachel said.

"Well, I did. Are you ready to go?" Santana asked. She wasn't at all offended. She knew that if in Rachel's position, she would have felt the same. The two walked out to Santana's car. As Santana drove the pair to Breadsticks, Rachel spoke.

"I'm assuming you're wanting to know which one of your choices I picked?" she asked. Santana nodded.

"If you want, I would kind of like this to be a date." Santana smiled widely.

"I was hoping you would choose that." she said. After the date, Santana drove Rachel back to her house. They stood on the porch.

"I actually had a good time, Santana." Rachel said.

"Me too, Rachel. Do you want to do this again?" Santana replied. Rachel nodded. Santana looked at her for a moment before softly kissing her. "Rachel, I have wanted to ask you something all semester." Santana whispered.

"What's that?" Rachel asked.

"Will you please be my girlfriend?" Santana asked. Rachel looked at her.

"Are you serious?" Santana nodded.

"I really like you, Rachel." Rachel looked at her for a long moment.

"Yea. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend. But promise me we can take this slow."

"I will do anything for you Rachel." Santana promised. Rachel smiled and kissed the Latina.

"I will do anything for you, Sanny." Rachel said. Santana raised an eyebrow.

"Sanny?"

"I like that name_." _Rachel said. Santana smirked.

"Fine. But I get to give you one... Tiny." Rachel's eyes narrowed playfully as Santana checked her watch. "Aw shit. I have to get home. Curfew. I'll text you later?" Rachel nodded. "Awesome. Oh, and Rachel?" The diva smiled. "Thanks for saying yes." Santana whispered, kissing her one final time before leaving. Rachel sighed happily and went inside.

"Dad, Daddy! I'm home!"

"How was the date?" Leroy Berry said. Rachel smiled.

"Amazing." she said, walking upstairs.

Santana drove back to her house after her date wtih Rachel. After an entire semester of secretly crushing on the girl, she had finally gotten up the courage to ask her out. She didn't know what made her choose that exact moment. She was walking toward the parking lot to get in her brand-new car that her dad had bought her for her sixteenth birhtday (she had started school a year late. Her parents didn't want her to be the youngest in her grade) and she saw Rachel by her locker. The thought of the girl going off to some camp or vacation over the summer and meeting someone made the Latina sick to her stomach. She didn't want to lose Rachel before she'd even gotten a chance with her. Next thing she knew, she was walking over to Rachel Berry and asking her out. Only, she didn't have the balls to ask her out completely. She said 'you choose' when Rachel asked her if it was a date. Not that that mattered anymore. Not only had Rachel chosen a date, but Santana had finally gotten the courage to ask Rachel to be her girlfriend and the girl had said yes. In Santana's mind, this was the best day of her life, and she'd had some pretty good days. She pulled into her driveway and went up to her room to get ready for bed, as if she could sleep. Smiling, she pulled out her phone as she got into her bed and under the comforter. She wanted to send her new girlfriend a text. She typed out the message and went through her contact list to find Rachel's number. She frowned as she saw what Rachel was listed under. **'Man-Hands' **Santana had put that in there that way in case Quinn went searching through her phone. She quickly changed it before sending the message.

Rachel smiled as she layed in her bed after her first date with Santana. She couldn't believe that Santana Lopez wanted to be in a relationship with her. She thought about how cute Santana had been when asking her out on the date, allowing Rachel to choose if it was an actual date, asking her to be her girlfriend, and then agreeing to Rachel's nicname of choice. Of course, Rachel had had to allow Santana to use her nickname of choice. Santana had been nervous, probably because she thought Rachel would reject after all the torment and the slushies. She reached over to grab her phone, which had just signaled that she had a text message. She smiled when she saw the sender.

**New Message**

**Satan Lopez**

Rachel's smile quickly became a frown. Immediately, she went to her contact list and scrolled down to Santana's name. She clicked the 'Edit' button and changed the name. Her phone buzzed again.

**2 New Messages**

**Sanny**

Rachel clicked on her inbox and went to the first message

**Hey beautiful, just wanted to say good night! :) -San**

Rachel smiled and went to the next message.

**By the way, I love your nickname TINY ;) -San**

Rachel laughed as she responded.

**You're sweet. :) Good night as well. By the way, your nickname is just as loveable SANNY ;) -Rach**

**You're adorable. I had a really good time tonight. -San**

**So did I. I'm really happy you asked me out. -Rach**

**Me too. I've been wanting to do it all semester. -San**

**I wish you had done it sooner. :) -Rach**

**:) So do I. -San**

**So... isn't the point of a 'Goodnight' text to say goodnight before you go to bed? :) -Rach**

**lol... when the conversation is with YOU, never. -San**

**Are you implying that I talk to much? -Rach**

**What? No, that's not what I meant. I meant, I don't want to stop talking to you. -San**

**That's sweet. :) Unfortunately, I have to get up early tomorrow. -Rach**

**Really? Why? -San**

**I have ballet class. -Rach**

**Hmmm... you in a leotard... Can I come? ;p -San**

**Wow... lol... and no. It's a closed class. BUT would you want to grab lunch tomorrow? -Rach**

**:) Sounds great. I'll pick you up outside the dance studio at noon? -San**

**Noon is perfect... wait... how'd you know where I take ballet? -Rach**

**We live in LIMA, OHIO, Rachel. There's only one dance studio in this town. -San**

**Oh right... lol. -Rach**

**You totally thought I was stalking you! God, Rach. What kind of person do you think I am? :) - San**

**A very forgiving person? :) -Rach**

**You're in luck, little lady. I happen to be EXTREMELY forgiving. :) -San**

**:) Thank God. Anyway, I really do have to get to sleep. Otherwise you'll be picking me up from the hospital after I break my leg. -Rach**

**You are aware that that saying isn't to be taken literally, right? -San**

**lol... yes I'm aware. -Rach**

**Good, just checking. Good night, Tiny. -San**

**:) Good night Sanny. -Rach**

Rachel shut her phone off, suddenly very anxious for the next day. Santana smiled at the screen before rolling over and staring at the new addition to her bedside table. She'd hooked her phone up to her computer as soon as she got home and printed off the pictures that she and Rachel had taken during their date. She'd taken the one that she and Rachel had chosen as their favorite and put it in a frame she had lying around before putting on the table. There were a few more frames in her room, so she put about four more in frames before putting the rest on her bulletin board. Santana couldn't wait for lunch the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

Santana grinned as she pulled into the parking lot for the Lima Dance School. She was both nervous and excited to see Rachel. She carefully watched for Rachel and then drove up to the front when the diva exited the building. "Hey." she said as Rachel climbed into her car.

"Hi." Rachel said, smiling shyly.

"How was class?" Santana asked as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"It was fun. I'm ready to spend time with you though. I needed to get out of there." Rachel said. Santana chuckled. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to pick up some food and then go on a picnic. It seemed romantic enough." the Latina said, driving.

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><p>"I can't believe you got a burger." Santana shrugged. "I'm not kissing you after you eat that." Rachel warned.<p>

"I'll live." Santana said, taking a bite as they sat down. Rachel glared before eating her own food while lecturing Santana. Sighing, Santana stood up. "Well this was fun. I'll see you around."

"You're leaving me here?" Rachel yelled. Santana chuckled.

"No. I'm just joking. Look, I totally planned on getting my mack on, so if I go by some mouth was will you forgive me?" she asked. Rachel sighed and nodded. "Awesome. I'll be back."

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><p>Rachel giggled as Santana kissed her neck. "Now just imagine how much this would suck if you hadn't forgiven me." Santana whispered. They were in the backseat of her car, which Santana had parked in a deserted field. They didn't want anyone bothering them.<p>

"I know." Rachel said, kissing the Latina. Santana giggled as she pushed her tongue into Rachel's mouth. "You're amazing for doing that though." Rachel said.

"I'm amazing for a lot of things." Santana flirted, winking at her girlfriend. Rachel rolled her eyes with a grin before kissing the girl some more.

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><p>"Today was awesome, Sanny." Rachel said as they watched a movie in her room. Santana nodded from her place with her head in Rachel's lap.<p>

"I'm glad you thought so." she said, smiling as Rachel leaned down to kiss her.

"You must be Santana." Both girls sprung apart to see Rachel's dads watching them.

"H... Hi." she said softly.

"Be nice." Rachel said, glaring at them. They smirked.

"Its nice to meet you, Santana." they said, walking away.

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><p>"Since I met your parents, I want you to meet mine." Santana said as she and Rachel entered her house. "Dad?"<p>

"Everyone is in the living room." Santana nodded and lead Rachel in there.

"Guys, this Rachel, my girlfriend." she said, sharing a knowing smile with her father. "Rach, this is my Max, my stepmom Kristy, my brother Isaac, my half-sister Mia and my half-brother Dex." Santana said. Rachel smiled as Santana's sister hugged her legs.

"You're pretty." Mia said. Rachel laughed.

"Thank you." Mia looked at Santana.

"Can she play with us Tana?" Santana grinned.

"Definitely _chica_." she said, kissing her forehead. "We're gonna go hang out upstairs." she said.

"It was nice to meet you all." Rachel said.

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><p>"Do you mind my asking where your mom is?" Rachel asked softly. Santana shrugged.<p>

"She left a few years back. I'd rather not talk about it." she said. Rachel nodded.

"That's okay." Santana smiled softly.

"Thanks." she said. Rachel smiled as Santana hugged her.

"Of course. I would never force you to tell me anything you didn't want to." she said.

"Its just really hard for me to talk about. Not a lot of people know why she left." Santana explained. Rachel nodded. "I think my sister likes you though." Rachel giggled.

"She's adorable. Just like you." she said, kissing the Latina. Santana giggled and pushed Rachel onto her bed.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry its short and sorry for the long wait. I will get back to this story!**


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm really glad we're together." Rachel said as they lounged out in her pool. Santana looked over and grinned.

"So am I." she said, grabbing Rachel's hand and kissing it. "We're having fun. You're having fun, right?"

"Of course I am, Sanny. I just hope that maybe one day we can be something more than just having fun." Rachel said. Santana nodded. "I mean, I know we've only been together for for two weeks, but I just hope that we last."

"I know what you mean, Rachel. I do too." Santana said. Rachel smiled. "I've... You... I've never felt this way before. It's nice and scary all at the same time. I think that as long as we take it slow, we could be together for a really long time." Rachel grinned as Santana pulled her lounge chair close and kissed her.

"How long?" Santana teased.

"I don't know. A really long time." Santana giggled.

"Sounds good to me." she said.

"Sounds good to me too." Rachel whispered.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry its short, just trying to get back into this story!**


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